Based on this DTD, we could write a compatible XML-based properties file by hand, but an even easier way to see one is to read in a traditional properties file of name/value pairs and store it ...

You can use the Java JDOM classes to read the XML data including the element's attribute property. You use these properties to determine the different types of XML nodes you have in your folder.

Splitting the XML file is a nasty performance optimization that should wait until it is the last option AND it is proven to actually increase performance. A spike to test it out is valuable here.

The three web services in our SOA are integrated using Camel routes, which are defined in XML files. We’ll also need to write some Java code for the processors that comprise the routes.